


Masquerade!

by hinotoriii



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-26
Updated: 2014-10-26
Packaged: 2018-02-22 18:22:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2517377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hinotoriii/pseuds/hinotoriii
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Despite her reluctance, Emmeryn finds herself attending a Masquerade held by her Mother. She doesn't expect a meeting she has there to have such an impact on her life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Masquerade!

**Author's Note:**

> Written as a prompt request for an 'alternative universe' meme over on tumblr. Probably not part of the bigger 'Unbreakable Thread's' 'verse I'm writing, but still just a little bit of headcanon on how Emmeryn and Frederick may have interacted as children -- if they were even thrown into such a situation as this one. 
> 
> Emmeryn is about nine years old here, so this story would be set just before the fall of her Mother and Father's rule (and before the rise of her own). Frederick is around the same age -- perhaps a year or two older than her at most. Chrom is four, and Lissa is but a baby.

“Why won’t Father be at the ball tonight Mother?”

Emmeryn listens as her mother gives a sigh, watching through the mirror she was standing before as the older woman rose to her feet behind her.

“I told you why, Emmeryn,” Her mother says, her tone laced with an edge of annoyance at having to repeat herself again. She lightly pulled the young girls hair out from the collar of her dress, letting the golden strands fall past her shoulders as she reached up to brush it. 

“Your Father is still very busy. He cannot come home for a ball whilst he’s fighting a war.”

“But if he’s at war then why are we  _having_  a ball?” Emmeryn asks. She was a curious young lady after all, so much so that her mother often tells her that she’s a little too curious for her own good.

“Because, my daughter,” Her mother answers, pausing briefly to turn her daughter around so she can look at her. “It is our duty to do so. We must celebrate the good things that our kingdom still holds. Our nobility must not be forgotten even whilst the Exalted King is away, and our nobles must remember which family watches over the Kingdom.”

Emmeryn frowns, confused by her mother’s logic.

“But Mother --”

“But nothing,” Her mother interrupts. “When you are older, you will understand the effect power can have on a nation, and the ways in which we can show it beyond the battleground. But tonight, you must enjoy yourself.”

Emmeryn watches as her mother takes a step back, she sets a hand on her shoulder, giving it a soft squeeze before moving towards the door.

“I want you to look your best tonight, child. Do not disappoint me.” 

Quietly she leaves, and Emmeryn waits until the door clicks closed behind the woman’s retreating footsteps. She can’t help but to wonder on her mothers reasoning’s for a while longer whilst remaining in her own peace.

Emmeryn knows that the ball isn’t the greatest idea her mother has thought up. A moment of celebration happening whilst they violently fought against their Plegian neighbours just seemed daft, especially since there didn’t really appear to  _be_  anything to celebrate. Not to mention the fact that she had overheard their master of coin arguing with her mother only a week prior, warning her that they did not have the resources to host such a grand event. Her mother had all but ignored such warnings however, instructing them to find the money, even if they had to pull it from what they provided their citizens.

Emmeryn’s stomach had been flip-flopping constantly since that day, wondering what it was that made the ball require being such a necessity on her mothers part. It all just appeared… well, worthless to her.

No wonder why the people living in the towns were beginning to look at her family differently these days.

Still, there’s little Emmeryn could do. She was still very much a child, and her mother was right: besides what she learns in her classes, Emmeryn still holds very little understanding about ruling a kingdom entails. Sometimes, she wishes she would never have to find out.

She turns to look at her mask for the evening, noting the intricate pattern of it and the feathers delicately interwoven into the design. It’s beautiful, that much can’t be disputed, yet Emmeryn felt uncomfortable about it’s purpose.

After all, Emmeryn never did like hiding.

* * *

“Can I take this off now?”

Behind her mask Emmeryn glanced to her side, noticing her young brother fidgeting with his own. She let out a light chuckle at his disgruntled sight, reaching forward with her hand and gently reaching to stop him before the mask fell.

“No, Chrom,” She says. “I’m sorry, but you have to wear it for the whole evening.”

“But it’s uncomfortable,” Chrom pouts. “Lissa doesn’t have to wear one, so why do we?”

“Lissa’s a baby, they don’t make masks for babies,” Emmeryn replies. “And we have to wear ours because Mother told us to.”

“I don’t really care what Mother says. Look, Vaike’s not wearing his mask!”

Emmeryn quickly moves to stop her younger brother pointing at his friend from across the ballroom, knowing that such a thoughtless action would get him into trouble if their mother or any of the nobles saw.

“It’s rude to point Chrom. You know this,” She says. “Don’t focus on what your friend is doing, he’s not a Prince like you are.”

Chrom lets out a loud huff, crossing his arms over his chest in an aggravated fashion. Even from behind the decorative blue and white pattern hiding his face Emmeryn doesn’t miss the way his young eyes narrow.

“Well, if  _I’m_ ever King one day, the first thing I’ll do is stop these parties. They’re boring, the dresses are too frilly and girly, and the masks are annoying. I don’t even know whose who because everyone’s faces are hidden!”

Smiling softly at her brother, Emmeryn finds herself somewhat humuored in his determined words. He reminds her of a small dragon in that moment, spitting puffs of smoke as he dreamt of days when he would roar loudly with fire.

“Excuse me.”

Emmeryn’s pulled out of her thoughts by another person’s voice. She turns her head to where they’re standing close to her other side, her movements both graceful and slow so as not to end up whipping the newcomer in the face with her long hair. As she does, she can’t help but be surprised.

Standing before her is a boy, taller than her and around her age – if not a year or two older. He stands taller than her, posture rigid and practiced. He is dressed smartly, dark hair neatly styled upon his head and, from what she can see behind his own darkened blue mask that he wears his eyes are a brown of a similar colour. The way Emmeryn feels her cheeks beginning to warm causes her to realise that he’s waiting for her to say something, and quickly she shakes her head in an attempt to bring herself back into the moment.

“Is there something I can help you with?” Emmeryn asks. Her voice is soft and light, automatically inviting the other to move forward and offer his hand to her.

“I hope it’s not too forward of me, but would you perhaps … like to dance? It’s just that – I’ve noticed you standing here by yourself for most of the evening by now …”

If it weren’t for the etiquette classes that her parents had forced her into, Emmeryn knew that she would be staring agape at the boy before her right now. She’s shocked by the offer, yet manages to hide her reaction by instead resting her hand in is and giving him a small nod.

“I would be happy to,” She replies, thankful that her white gloves would help should her palms begin to grow sweaty. Emmeryn quickly glances back at her brother – who _is_  watching them with mouth agape – but after she gives him an encouraging smile, he understands what it is she is telling him and runs to find his friend to play with.

The boy leads Emmeryn out onto the ballroom floor, casting a quick glance around him at the adults dancing before focusing his attention back on the Princess before him. Even with his masquerade mask covering most of his face Emmeryn can read enough to know he was trying to figure out what he needs to do, and tentatively he moves on hand down to rest on her waist whilst still gripping her hand tightly with his other.

 _He’s nervous._ Emmeryn thinks to herself as their feet begin to move.  _But he’s trying not to be._

They stumble along to begin with, the boy occasionally almost stepping on Emmeryn’s toes. Luckily her mother has had her learning the basics to dances since she was as young as Chrom currently is, and Emmeryn is able to avoid most injuries before the boy finds a comfort in leading her. She eventually smiles up at him, a silent sign to show that he’d finally got a hang of the pattern.

“So you’re Lady Emmeryn,” The boy eventually says, breaking the calm quietness from before. Emmeryn hums, lightly guiding the two of them away from an adult couple before they knocked into their side.

“What gave it away?” She asked playfully. “Was it the tiara? Because Mother won’t let me go anywhere without wearing it.”

“That was certainly one hint,” He replied. Emmeryn noted that whenever he spoke, the boy seemed to always carry a seriousness in his tone. She wondered if it were just because he was speaking to loyalty, and that if he were prone to joking whilst in the company of his own friends and family. “But … you were also standing beside the royal table. That helped too, somewhat.”

“Ah, yes.” Emmeryn says with a light chuckle. “We have to stand there if we’re not dancing or speaking. Mother’s orders.”

“You say we …”

“My brother and I,” Emmeryn clarifies. Her eyes soften at the mention of Chrom. “It’s mostly because of him that she ordered that. Chrom often likes to get into adventurous trouble when opportunities arise.”

“So the stories say.”

Emmeryn tilts her head to one side, watching the boy with curiosity. They took another step to the left, their movements growing more fluid as they went on. 

“It appears that you know who I am,” She says, pausing for a second to take a step back before continuing. “Yet I know nothing of you. Do I not get to know a name?”

“Ah – forgive me, your Highness,” The boy speaks. Emmeryn finds herself having to narrow her eyes briefly because  _was that a light blush tinting his cheeks at her query?_   “I should have said much earlier. My name is Frederick.”

“Frederick …” Emmeryn considers the name, knowing that it’s familiar to her. Another step, and a second, before the pieces click together. “You mean, Ser Thomas’s son?”

“One of them,” He answers and  _oh_  – there’s a smile. “I have a younger brother too. Much younger. He’s only two.”

“I was beginning to wonder when we’d meet,” Emmeryn replies, her own smile growing. “My mother said you were training to be a Knight. Do you want to protect people like your father protects my parents?”

“Yes,” Frederick answers. “Although I’ve actually finished my training. So … I suppose we’ll being seeing much more of each other.”

Emmeryn stumbles at that, somewhat confused. She watches him as they move, as if his face would tell her more of what his words meant, yet his expression was just as difficult to read as it had been before.

“What do you mean?” She hears herself asking. Somehow, her question and curiosity causes another smile to rise upon his lips, and Emmeryn wonders for a second time just what it is that triggers it.

“Has your Mother not spoken to you about what she spoke to my Mother and Father about yet?” He asks. Emmeryn shakes her head.

“No. My Mother's been too obsessed with this party and expenses to talk much about anything else.”

“That would explain why you don’t know then,” Frederick says, as if verifying something for himself quickly. Emmeryn watches as his eyes focus on her own, and she feels her heart leap at the intensity in his gaze. 

“I’m going to be looking out for both you and your siblings soon. Milady.”


End file.
